The profile of the workplace harasser: common traits and behaviors - sexual harassment work

Workplace harassment, also known as mobbing, is a devastating reality that affects numerous employees around the world. This type of prolonged psychological violence not only harms the victim's mental and physical health, but also deteriorates the work environment, reduces productivity, and creates an atmosphere of distrust and fear within the organization. To effectively combat workplace harassment, it is crucial to understand the harasser's profile, their motivations, and the behaviors that characterize them. This knowledge will allow us to identify risk situations and implement preventive measures to protect employees and build a healthier and more respectful work environment.

What Is Workplace Harassment and Why Is It Essential to Recognize the Harasser?

Workplace harassment is defined as a series of hostile and systematic actions directed at an employee by one or more coworkers, superiors, or subordinates. These actions may include:

• Constant and unjustified criticism of the work.
• Social isolation and exclusion.
• Spreading rumors and slander.
• Assigning humiliating tasks or tasks impossible to complete.
• Threats and intimidation.
• Attacks on private life.

Recognizing the harasser is the first step to stopping the cycle of violence. Understanding their behavior patterns helps us identify early warning signs and take measures to protect potential victims. Additionally, it allows the company to establish clear and effective action protocols to address harassment situations.

Common Psychological Traits of the Workplace Harasser

While there is no single profile of the harasser, certain psychological traits tend to be more frequent in individuals who engage in workplace harassment. It is important to remember that these traits are not clinical diagnoses and that the presence of one or more of them does not automatically make a person a harasser. However, identifying them can be useful for assessing risk and taking additional precautions.

• Low self-esteem: Paradoxically, many harassers have low self-esteem and use harassment to feel superior and compensate for their own insecurities.
• Need for control: The harasser seeks to control others and exert power over them. Harassment provides a sense of dominance and control that they find gratifying.
• Lack of empathy: Harassers often lack empathy and are unable to put themselves in the victim's shoes. They do not understand the harm they cause with their actions.
• Narcissistic personality traits: Some harassers exhibit narcissistic traits, such as exaggerated grandiosity, a constant need for admiration, and a lack of consideration for others' feelings.
• Envy and jealousy: The harasser may feel envy or jealousy of the victim's success or skills, which drives them to try to undermine and discredit them.
• Difficulty managing stress: At times, harassment can be a way to release stress and frustration. The harasser unloads their distress onto the victim.
• Aggressive and hostile behavior: The harasser often displays aggressive and hostile behavior, both verbal and nonverbal. They may be prone to outbursts of anger and sarcastic, humiliating remarks.

Observable Behaviors of the Harasser in the Workplace

Beyond psychological traits, there are observable behaviors that may indicate the presence of a harasser in the workplace. These behaviors can vary depending on the context and the harasser's personality, but some of the most common include:

1. Constant and unjustified criticism: The harasser constantly criticizes the victim's work, even when it is flawless. They look for any excuse to discredit the victim and make them feel incompetent.
2. Isolation and exclusion: The harasser isolates the victim from the rest of the team, preventing them from participating in meetings, projects, and social activities. They exclude them from communication and deliberately ignore them.
3. Spreading rumors and slander: The harasser spreads rumors and slander about the victim, damaging their reputation and credibility. They invent false stories and propagate them among coworkers.
4. Assigning humiliating or impossible tasks: The harasser assigns the victim humiliating or impossible tasks with the aim of ridiculing them and causing them to fail. They give work that is beneath their level or that requires skills they do not possess.
5. Threats and intimidation: The harasser threatens and intimidates the victim, either directly or indirectly. They may make threatening comments about the victim's professional future or personal safety.
6. Excessive control: The harasser exerts excessive control over the victim's work, supervising every move and criticizing every detail. They do not allow the victim to make decisions or take initiative.
7. Public humiliation: The harasser publicly humiliates the victim, ridiculing them in front of coworkers. They make sarcastic comments about the victim's appearance, way of speaking, or way of working.

How to Prevent Workplace Harassment in Your Company?

Preventing workplace harassment is essential to create a healthy and productive work environment. Companies must implement clear policies and procedures to prevent, detect, and address harassment situations. Some measures that can be taken include:

• Develop an anti-harassment policy: The company should develop a clear and concise anti-harassment policy that defines workplace harassment, establishes consequences for harassers, and outlines procedures for reporting and investigating complaints.
• Train employees: The company should train all employees about workplace harassment, its effects, and how to prevent it. Training should include information about the company's anti-harassment policy and the procedures for reporting harassment situations.
• Promote a culture of respect: The company should promote a culture of respect and tolerance, where diversity is valued and open and honest communication is encouraged.
• Establish confidential reporting channels: The company should establish confidential reporting channels so employees can report harassment situations without fear of retaliation.
• Thoroughly investigate complaints: The company should investigate all harassment complaints thoroughly and take appropriate corrective actions.
• Offer support to victims: The company should offer support to victims of harassment, including psychological and legal counseling.